Current techniques for constructing larger buildings usually involve the use of a load bearing frame of steel or reinforced concrete, with attached cladding and/or masonry infills. In the case of masonry walls in such structures and elsewhere, it is necessary to provide additional strengthening where the area of the wall increases beyond certain limits. The strengthening is required to support the weight of the wall; to resist environmental loading such as wind forces, differences in air pressure and earthquakes; as well as to withstand other dynamic service loads such as crowd pressure, vehicle impact or explosions. The required strength for a given structure is governed not only by the laws of physics but also by local building regulations.
Traditionally where additional strength is needed, walls have been supported by cross walls, piers and areas of wall thickening. More recently the standard windpost has been developed, which occurs in most building walls (particularly interior walls), if their length exceeds 4 m. The purpose of the post is to stiffen or strengthen the walling, in circumstances of particular lateral stress from wind induced pressure differences, crowd or any other force. A wind post generally consists of a steel column secured at its top and base to the building frame or another suitable load-bearing structure. This form of construction, while effective, brings with it the following disadvantages:    1. An expansion joint is required on either side of the wind post, where it interfaces with the adjacent masonry. Filler material is inserted between post and block faces.    2. Frame ties typically at 225 mm centres must be provided between the masonry and the post on both sides.    3. Mastic will often be a specification requirement.    4. A steel post will require fire protection.    5. There may also be acoustic concerns.    7. The post typically requires four bolt fixings, two at the base and two at the soffit.    8. The post must be erected before the walling and so isolated access (e.g. scaffolding) is required for safe work practice particularly at height.
Our invention seeks to replace the windpost and also achieve many other positive characteristics in strengthening panels of bonded masonry such as masonry walls, both load bearing and non load bearing.
GB2188079 concerns an earthquake-resistant building structure formed from self assembling (dry jointed) blocks and having a reinforced concrete frame cast in situ within the blockwork as assembly of the latter proceeds.